The Arcadian War
by Suraimu
Summary: About four years before the GX crew set out to neutralize the Elemental Disorder. A look at some of the pasts of the GX crew before they met each other, and what they did during the Arcadian War.


The Arcadian War - (dramedy (drama + comedy?)/action)  
  
a story (more like collection of shorter stories) about the years before and during the war between the Arcadian and Nortis nations, with portrayals of the individual characters of the GX team before they all met each other.  
  
story by Suraimu (DustyLevi@aol.com)  
  
A very special thanks to Quanlee, I wouldn't have been inspired to come up with this if I hadn't talked to her. This is my first fanfic I've ever followed through in trying to make so be warned.  
  
Note: I was also inspired by Quanlee's idea that the worlds of Grandia 1, 2, and Grandia Xtreme are the same one. This is confirmed by Juston's very presence in Xtreme. He also makes references from Grandia 2 also. I haven't finished Grandia 1 yet by I found something interesting spinoff subject material to connect with Grandia Xtreme and Grandia 2 as well.  
  
Chapter 1: The Arcadians  
  
A little fourteen-year-old girl named Lutina looked over the marketplace, with an empty satchel at her side. A few light green strands of hair dangled over her eyes beneath a white, tattered bandanna which was tied over her head. Her eyes were large, brown, and very beautiful, but constant paranoia kept them narrowed. The rest of her clothes were also somewhat tattered and worn, but careful attention had been given to keep them clean and mended. She hadn't eaten in a few days and it looked like she would have to resort to stealing again. Oh yes!, she thought with a slight hint of mania, I won't go hungry tonight! Not a chance! Nobody will miss just a few morsels of food after all. It's not like I'm getting greedy and stealing jewels or valuables or anything like that. Just something to sustain me for a few more days, just until I could get back on my feet...  
  
Then it hit her.  
  
She gasped and paused slightly, thinking to herself, with her eyes slightly widened and surprised. And just exactly WHEN had I ever been ......"on my feet"?  
  
"........"  
  
N-n-n-n-n-no, no! I will NOT let such depressing thoughts distract me right now. Just not now. Stay focused! Her eyes narrowed even more until they resembled those of a snake and she continued to sneak silently forward.  
  
Meanwhile, on the other side of the marketplace, a little twelve-year-old boy named Titto peered at the marketplace from under a counter in an empty stall. His hair was light blue as were his eyes, and his expression was between looking blank and eternally worried. The state of his clothes were not that much different from Lutina's. He began to creep forward, eyeing his surroundings carefully....  
  
Okay! thought Lutina. One fish. One lousy fish is plenty. Just slip it into my bag when nobody's looking, keep cool, and walk out. Nobody will miss it. Nobody. Done it enough times, and had no trouble before.... What about..... tomorrow?.... Well, what of it? Tomorrow will take care of itself. Worry about today.  
  
She approached a counter of fresh fish spread across the ice. The merchant was busy fussing with another customer who was demanding a discount because slices of meat hadn't been cut right, that the slices were irregularly shaped or something. Well won't that make things so much easier, she thought. She opened her satchel and just grabbed a fish....  
  
Except....  
  
Ha!.... The fish seemed to be stuck.  
  
A large bead of sweat formed at the side of Lutina's head.  
  
She tugged harder.  
  
But it wouldn't give.  
  
What the??!!!!..... Oh!..... There's the problem! A little boy's tugging on the other end...... Wait a minute! That's not quite good.....  
  
"Hey!" whispered Lutina. "You!.....Let go!"  
  
"No!" whispered Titto. "You let go! I was here first!"  
  
Lutina growled. "Why you litttle....!!!! You're going to get us BOTH in trouble!" cried Lutina frantically.  
  
"Just... get another one," replied Titto matter-of-factly.  
  
A stupefied expression formed across Lutina's face.  
  
"Oh yeah...!!!! ...... huh.... fine!"  
  
She let go and the little boy scurried away with a large fish held in one arm.   
  
Now let's see!.... get another fish....  
  
Too late.  
  
The merchant was looking directly at Lutina, scowling. "Thief!"  
  
"Huh?....Me? Wait a minute! No, no! I was going to buy! I swear!"  
  
"Then why is that little boy running away with a fish? You helped him get away! You're his accomplice!" Realizing Titto was getting away he said, "Oh..... first things first...." He began chasing Titto, yelling for him to stop.  
  
"Halt!" yelled another voice. A knight, typically dressed in brightly colored Arcadian style, drew closer. He was barely an adult and had a mark of youthful vitality so fit for a rookie.  
  
"Did someone say thief?!"  
  
"Oh no!...." murmured Lutina. More sweat beads formed on Lutina's head. She had a spastic grin on her face now and her left eye was twitching. Lutina remembered THAT particular knight. Damnit, thought Lutina. It's that troublesome knight, Jaid. By coincidence, he seemed to be present whenever Lutina was forced to steal food for the day. Earlier she had the misfortune of running into him where he engaged in the most ridiculously mind-boggling, loopy conversations. That's how all the damned magician knights are! Loopy!  
  
The knight, still relatively new in his job, glanced at Lutina. "Are you the thief? I knew I should have suspected you earlier! How dishonorable!"  
  
"I'm NOT the thief! He is!" Lutina pointed to where the merchant was still chasing Titto, but it was hard to maneuver when there were still a good many people walking about. Jaid ran in the direction of Titto and Lutina took note when Jaid was good enough a distance away.  
  
Alright! Time to snatch some dinner! Lutina grinned slightly and grabbed another fish....  
  
"Got you!!!!" Jaid appeared out of nowhere and put handcuffs over Lutina's arm and Jaid's own.  
  
"Huh? Wait a minute! How?"  
  
"A great magician never tells!"  
  
"Hmph! Well, at any rate, the REAL thief is getting away!"  
  
"Oh yeah. I guess I'll have to still run after him."  
  
"Wait! I'm still handcuffed!"  
  
"Tough! You'll just have to keep up with me!"  
  
"No! Hey! That's not fair!"  
  
Jaid ran after Titto and Lutina ran to keep up with him, and all the while Lutina still had a fish in her hand.   
  
The merchant ran out of energy from running and stopped to breathe.  
  
"Don't worry sir! I'll catch your thief for you!" said Jaid.  
  
As Lutina was running with Jaid the merchant caught sight of the fish in Lutina's hand and snatched it back away from her. "No!" cried Lutina. "My dinner!"  
  
They were still running. They were approaching a park.  
  
"Hey! Slow down! I can't keep up!" said Lutina.  
  
"Hold on. Almost got him. There's less room for him to hide out in the open like in this park!"  
  
Titto sped toward a pond and with such facility jumped over some stones which stuck out from the water.  
  
Jaid, still attached to Lutina, could not follow so gracefully.  
  
"What are you going to do!?" said Lutina.  
  
"Follow suit!" said Jaid.  
  
Jaid and Lutina managed to hop onto a few stones. However....  
  
"Stop! Thief!" cried Jaid. "Uh oh!" Jaid tripped. Jaid fell backward onto Lutina and they splashed into the water.  
  
A fish flopped onto Lutina's head with such force that she yelped slightly. It jumped back into the water and swam away.  
  
"Ow! That hurt!" Lutina said, scratching her head. Lutina coughed and spit out some water. "Why me?" wailed Lutina with a crinkled mouth in disbelief. "Why?"  
  
Titto had disappeared out of view....  
  
"He got away!" said Jaid. "Let's get up." Jaid and Lutina stood up.  
  
"Wh-where are you going to take me?" asked Lutina.  
  
"You shall remain in my custody."  
  
This is it, thought Lutina with a heavy sigh. I suppose where I'm going now is a lot better than drifting around the streets, constantly wondering where my next meal is going to come from....  
  
Lutina began to shiver when the wind blew over them. "Can we at least get a chance to dry ourselves off first? Maybe you could take off these handcuffs and then..."  
  
"Enough!" said Jaid. "Don't worry. I'll give you a chance to change out of those clothes. Where we're going is not that far. Best we hurry now before it gets colder."  
  
It was late in the afternoon and the breeze began to blow with slightly more strength. As they were walking, people didn't pay much attention to them, despite that Jaid and Lutina were both dripping wet and attached to each other with handcuffs. Most people wore a worried or busy look on their faces. Most of the talking among them was hushed whispering. It was only a few minutes before they reached a modest-looking apartment building and climbed the outside stairs to the second floor. They stopped at a door and Jaid unlocked it.  
  
"Hey!" said Lutina. "Where is this?"  
  
"This is where I live," said Jaid.  
  
"And what exactly are we doing here then?"  
  
"You, little girl, are going to change out of those clothes before you catch a cold!"  
  
"Oh ok.... Wait a minute! Don't call me a little girl!"  
  
"Agreed. But you've got to cooperate with me...."  
  
Hmph, thought Lutina. Who does this guy think he is, taking a girl like me over to his room? Must be a pervert! Well he's going to REALLY regret it if he tries anything funny!  
  
They went inside and Jaid closed the door. Jaid's apartment was furnished minimally: There were only a few chairs and a table in the living room, a good-sized bookshelf filled with books, half of them wearing down through the years. There was a door that led to the kitchen.The kitchen only had a stove, cabinets attached to the wall, and one table and chair for eating.  
  
Jaid went to a closet and quickly picked out some white, linen clothes. They were somewhat large for Lutina but they looked like they would fit. Jaid finally unlocked the handcuffs and directed Lutina to the bathroom. He closed the door and picked out a set of his own clothes, nearly an identical looking set from the one he was already wearing.  
  
Lutina locked the door. Now that she was by herself it was time to contemplate escape. She glanced over at the window....  
  
"I hope you're not pondering about leaving so quickly," said Jaid as he heard her shuffling around as she was changing clothes. Jaid himself changed quickly in the kitchen. "Then you'd be making off with the clothes I so graciously offered to you as well! They're probably better than those tattered rags you originally had." Jaid finished changing and sat down in a chair with crossed arms.  
  
"I wouldn't think of stealing again," said Lutina quickly.  
  
"You know! Forgive me for being so rude, but I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Jaid, first in my class of the Arcadian magician knight academy of the Zelos district. Hmm. Also, I seem to have forgotten to ask you what your name is."  
  
"Lutina," said Lutina. She looked at the window again and moved over to it, studying it, judging to see if she could escape efficiently. Well! It would be easy! She opened it....  
  
"You know, Lutina," said Jaid, "it's all too obvious your thefts are too petty to merit any real punishment, but I can't but help but do as my job requires of me. Right now I can tell that you're thinking about leaving early, but before that consider the consequences... You'd simply be roaming the streets again, wondering where your next meal will come from, if it comes...."  
  
Lutina paused.  
  
"...Bearing the cold of winter nights... in the rain... in the snow... Then what next? What would you do then next, Lutina?" asked Jaid, his arms still crossed. His head was relaxed and his eyes were closed.  
  
"What the hell are you trying to imply.....?" said Lutina.  
  
"No need to use such expletives young lady! But I suppose I can't blame you. Street orphans nowadays...."  
  
Lutina rushed out of the bathroom (and the large white linen clothes she was now dressed in seemed awkward - oh! and after taking off her bandanna and drying her hair it looked poofy too) and glared furiously at Jaid. "And WHAT exactly would YOU know about us street orphans?"  
  
Jaid opened his eyes and matched Lutina's glare with a concerned expression. "Does you no longer having a family nor a home have anything to do with with what the Nortis did?"  
  
Lutina froze suddenly. "........." Her anger subsided quickly and turned to sorrow. Her eyes became somewhat watery. Lutina leaned her back against a wall and slumped down slowly against it until she was seated on the floor, nearly in a fetal position with her arms clasped around her legs.  
  
"You don't have to explain to me the details now, if ever, if it's too painful for you....."  
  
"..........."  
  
Jaid paused, then resumed again. "You might be interested in what I have to say: The magician knight academies, as well as other academies in Arcada have been recently been informed that if we were to run across kids such as yourself then it was our duty to offer them temporary assistance. In such trying times we should help each other. Nobody has the time to deal with petty infractions, not especially since there's been talk of going to war against the Nortis."  
  
Lutina wiped her eyes and quickly put resolve to her demeanor. "What type of 'temporary assistance' are you talking about?"  
  
"Oh, you know.... offer them food, shelter, clothing.... the good stuff that parents would give their children...."  
  
"Now hold on!" said Lutina, quickly standing up. "It almost sounds like you're adopting me to be your kid! You're barely an adult yourself!"  
  
"Maybe. But gainfully employed! That's the difference."  
  
"You've GOT to be kidding me!"  
  
"No, I've got my badge right here, let me find it...."  
  
"I'm not talking about that.... I'm cynical that I should be expected to just offer assistance from just some oddball stranger like yourself...."  
  
"They wouldn't let me turn you in, Lutina. They'd just tell me to simply reach out to people like you. Everybody in Arcada's on edge because of the threat of the Nortis. A lot of the travelling merchants don't stop by often and a lot of our citizens have emigrated. Trade is down. Nobody's in the mood to jail orphans. We're very much on the brink of war...."  
  
"Hmph!! Well!" said Lutina defiantly, with crossed arms and closed eyes, with head slightly turned away. "I don't need your help!" The very moment Lutina said that her stomach began to growl loudly. "Well," said Lutina with embarrassment and her face blushing red, but still with defiance, "maybe I could use just a little help...."  
  
"You're under no obligation to stay all the time. You may freely come and go as you please." Jaid's eyes surged upward in thought. "Well...! I wouldn't know exactly what someone like yourself would do outside-"  
  
"Outside," said Lutina, more subdued, serious, melancholy. "Outside I managed to do find some work doing unskilled labor- but those jobs never lasted- and I tried saving money for food- of course the money never lasted either... Other kids on the street my age tried to pick fights with me for my food but I managed to fight back - once I learned to fight, that is."  
  
"And would you miss that lifestyle?"  
  
"No. Of course not."  
  
Jaid said nothing.  
  
Lutina paused. "I probably don't have any business asking why the magician knight academy graduated an oddball like you so early..."  
  
"It was because of my advanced skills!" declared Jaid with a stupid grin overflowing with bravado.  
  
".........." Lutina skewed her mouth with a hint of disbelief. "Uhhh... right.... but I suppose..." Lutina paused.  
  
"You suppose what?"  
  
"But I suppose I have no choice but to accept your.... ." Lutina relaxed her demeanor and gulped. "...Accept your 'assistance', your...help." Why was that so hard to say? Lutina wondered. Why is it so hard to accept help from others? Because it seemed very seldom that she needed it from others- or at least she liked to think that she didn't need anyone's help. She didn't want to feel indebted to anyone, and she was not a thief most of the time, after all. Lutina stopped to think. "Actually..... I still don't quite believe in this 'temporary assistance' crap...."  
  
Jaid laughed lightly with slight bravado. "You've been out of mainstream Arcadian society long enough that you almost seem to have forgotten what it means to be Arcadian, especially forgetting the Arcadians like myselves who work in professions that hold high moral conducts. I'M the one who should watch out that YOU don't do something awful....Besides, like I said: I'm not holding you here against your will. You are free to come and go as you please."  
  
Lutina was silent a moment. "Fine! But if I'm going to stick around don't expect to coddle me, I'll pull up my own weight in whatever ways I can find! And I still don't trust what you said about this 'temporary assistance' until I really find out what's going on!"  
  
Jaid smiled.  
  
Lutina stopped to think. "Well! For starters! I'd like to cook us some dinner!" exclaimed Lutina with a hint of mania.  
  
"Now just a minute, hold on! What would a street orph-"  
  
Lutina glared at Jaid with such wrath that Jaid stopped immediately. "What were you about to say, Jaid!?"  
  
"Um! Nothing!" said Jaid nervously.  
  
Lutina smiled peppily. "Good! Now what type of ingredients have you got?"  
  
"Only the best!"  
  
"Really! Excellent." Lutina strode in the kitchen, still dressed in the baggy linen clothes. "Now don't come in the kitchen until I'm done!"  
  
"You're not going to poison me are you?!"  
  
"Of course not! What the hell are you talking about? This is for me too! It would be such a waste of food!"  
  
Jaid smiled again.  
  
How long had it been? Jaid wondered. He was sitting down, reading with his spectacles on. He was already done reading the newspaper, disgruntled at more reports of casualties of both Arcadians and Nortis at the disputed borderlines. Now he was reviewing some of his books which contained all the more advanced spells that were usually hard to recall all at once.  
  
The aroma coming from the kitchen smelled quite delicious actually, albeit a bit exotic. Jaid heard the clatter of cooking utensils and silverware against pots and pans, stirring, and the fire from the stove. Several times Jaid tried to sneak up to the door but everytime he got close it seemed like Lutina had a sixth sense and yelled at Jaid. "Don't come in! I'm not done yet!" Each time Jaid felt such force from the yelling which made his legs almost run backwards so quickly he found himself back in his chair with his eyes behind a book in less than an instant.  
  
What have I gotten myself into? thought Jaid. What could this nutsy girl be thinking? Perhaps Lutina was right, thought Jaid. It did seem odd that the academies asked its members to offer assistance to....Jaid shooked his head. War was certain to erupt! People needed help! And the academies even said that because of Arcada's long era of peace nobody expected anything and that there might be a shortage of personnel, which would also might require that they recruit....!  
  
Later, thought Jaid. That part would come later.  
  
"OK, Jaid! I'm done! Dinner's ready!" said Lutina sing-songily.  
  
Jaid's eyes lighted up. He removed his spectacles and rushed into the kitchen.  
  
There was a large steaming pot in the middle of the table exuding a most wonderful aroma that tantalized Jaid's senses. "It smells wonderful!" said Jaid.  
  
"Of course. I told you I know how to cook," said Lutina. "Have a seat!"  
  
Jaid happily sat down and Lutina prepared a bowl of her stew and handed Jaid some utensils. Lutina, still standing, prepared herself a bowl and ate daintily (for an Arcadian street orphan, that is- even then, this was still more daintily than the average person).  
  
With closed eyes, Jaid inhaled the vapors deeply. He took a spoonful, chewed slowly, savoring it, and gulped. Absolutely delicious! That is, um, except.....!!!!!  
  
Lutina was still eating. However, she noticed that Jaid was looking out into space with a stupid grin on his face and was perspiring a little more than usual. She directed her large brown eyes concernedly in Jaid's direction. "Uh... Jaid... is it a little too spicy?"  
  
Still grinning stupidly, he shook his head to indicate a no.  
  
"Well... you'd better finish every last bite! It's probably not a good idea to insult a common street orphan by wasting the food she's worked so hard to prepare for!" Lutina said jokingly. "I mean... it is delicious.... right....?"  
  
Jaid nodded spastically. Still with the grin, staring out into space.  
  
"Hmm. Thought so! Well, I suppose I should wash up..." Lutina walked out of the kitchen and into the bathroom. She caught a glance of herself in the mirror and became surprised, with the baggy linen clothes and the poofy hair. "Oh... got to do something about that hair...." She tried using her hand to comb it down but with no success. "Oh well... that's really not important right now....."  
  
The moment Lutina was out of the kitchen Jaid (still with the ridiculous grin) was at the counter glugging a gallonful of water....  
  
It was late at night. Lutina was in the living room on some sheets laid out on the carpet under a blanket. She stared at the wall at her side and could hear Jaid snore loudly from his bedroom. Jaid had offered that he sleep in the living room and that Lutina could use Jaid's bed. Naturally Lutina said that Jaid shouldn't go to too much trouble.  
  
Maybe an hour passed as she lay awake. But it wasn't so much Jaid's snoring as it was Lutina's deep ruminating and stream of thoughts that kept her awake.  
  
So, Jaid is a decent person, that's nice. And for that I'm grateful! Total oddball but that doesn't really matter. I have to hand it to him... I should be just so grateful.... I am...  
  
And yet....  
  
Why I am here, comfortable under someone else's roof? thought Lutina. Do the Arcadian academies want to help the poor and needy like myself? What is poor and needy?  
  
Lutina couldn't admit it. She wouldn't admit it. Not my own roof. What is comfortable?  
  
War's about to break.  
  
In war there's not so much a rich and poor as there is a dead or alive.  
  
Mom, Dad, thought Lutina with her eyes closed, as she shifted uncomfortably. Both dead and not alive. And not just them.... all because of the Nortis.... Because of them, I'm not under my own roof either.  
  
The Nortis!  
  
And that fateful day....  
  
That the Nortis took the lives of her parents.  
  
It tried to play back in Lutina's mind again.  
  
But I promised myself I would forget that, focus what's at hand NOW.  
  
And I'll forget!  
  
I won't let that get the best of me....  
  
Emotions of both deep sadness and great anger welled up in Lutina as she cried herself to sleep, with her anger welling up more and more fiercely....  
  
Chapter 1.2: The Arcadians - Titto  
  
It was nighttime.  
  
Titto was sitting in a dry alley roasting his catch over a fire fueled by a lot of scraps he gathered from trash bins.  
  
His legs were stretched forward, with his feet pointed up. His light blue eyes looked quietly at the fire, hypnotized by the dancing flames and the rhythmic chirping of the crickets in the background.  
  
Suddenly his ears perked and he blinked. Something's close by, he thought.  
  
"Who's there?"  
  
He heard light footsteps and a a small grey cat appeared in front of him.  
  
"Hello... kitty... Are you lost? Hungry?"  
  
Titto put out the fire and removed the fish from a skewer. He unsheathed his knife and cut the fish in half, placing it down in front of the small grey cat.  
  
The cat gratefully munched away at the fish until there was nothing but the bones. It began to meow softly.  
  
Another cat appeared.....  
  
"Oh! Are you hungry too?" Titto cut half of what was remaining of the fish and bent down to feed the second cat.  
  
The second cat munched away at the fish until there was nothing but the bones. It began meowing softly.  
  
Two more cats appeared, looking upon Titto intently.  
  
Titto smiled weakly and sighed. "Looks like I'll just have to tough it out for tonight..." He bent down and placed what was remaining fish in front of the the other two cats. They munched on it gratefully, until there was nothing left but bones.  
  
Four more cats appeared, looking upon Titto intently.  
  
Titto began to tremble slightly, and he chuckled uneasily.  
  
"I'm all out. Sorry little kitties....."  
  
The cats were meowing louder. They crept forward slowly.  
  
Eight more cats appeared. Then sixteen more ran into view. They all looked upon Titto intently, and Titto didn't want to guess what it was they were thinking...  
  
Titto was stepping back slowly, then slightly with more speed. "I'm sorry... sorry... I just...just...I just don't have anything....I don't have anything left to give you.. Nothing...I can't even feed myself..." He turned the other direction and began running.  
  
The cats were running after him. Titto ran deeper and deeper down the alley. There was less light in this part of town and he could no longer see where he was going. None of the area seemed familiar either. The ground collapsed from under him and he fell down into a hole, yelling. The cats gathered around the hole still meowing but none dared to jump in after Titto. Finally, they walked off in different directions....  
  
Titto woke up. How long had it been, he wondered? He rubbed his eyes and looked around him. Still unable to see anything in front of him he lit a match.  
  
Odd, thought Titto. He thought he should be in a sewer, but he had wandered the sewers before - it helped for his thieving of course - but the architecture certainly wasn't typical of the sewer. There was not a trace of any smell for one, and the walls were lined with all sorts of runes that would have probably baffled most local Arcadian scholars. Nope, definitely not a sewer. Must have fell a little deeper underground than what was usual....  
  
He looked upward to see if he could see the hole from which he fell.  
  
There seems to be no trace of it, he thought. Or it seems so high up it's impossible to see.  
  
Even then! It occurred to Titto. Even if he did climb up, even if he had enough energy.....  
  
He just might...  
  
Just might have to....!  
  
Deal with all those cats....!  
  
Again.  
  
Titto shook his head quickly to rub out the dread of such thoughts. And decided that it might be worth it to look for an alternate route. I've been through tougher situations, he told himself, and this one should be no different. Though this is still like those tougher situations.  
  
Several hours and several burned-out matches later Titto started to get more desperate. He felt a lot weaker from hunger and could barely walk, barely stand. He had lit his last match awhile ago and he could tell that one would go out soon.  
  
Is this how it will end....? he thought. He became drowsy and collapsed onto the cold stone floor with his limbs stretched out. The match went out and there was total darkness. It made no difference whether or not he opened or closed his eyes - all - was dark.  
  
If death came upon him he would welcome it. He became more drowsy and his eyelids remained closed. How nice it would be to sleep eternally! Rest. No more worries about the next day, or the Nortis, or fretting about food or the weather. No worries. Or stray hungry cats for that matter....  
  
Titto fell unconscious.  
  
Titto awoke again. How long had it been, he wondered. He rubbed his eyes, and he could hardly believe them when he realized where he was. He was in the covers of a warm, soft bed, and he found himself dressed in large, white clothes, with a hint of lavendar on the sleeves. The sleeves were too long and the ends drooped over his hands when he raised his arms. He tried rolling the sleeves back but they kept sliding back over his hands. There was a bowl of soup, bread, and milk on a tray on a table next to the bed. Despite that he was overwhelmingly hungry, he was very restrained and ate very daintily, not just for a street urchin, but even for the most cultured of Arcadians. He wiped his face with a napkin on the table and opened his large eyes more widely, blinked, and looked around the room.  
  
It was a bit bare, but there seemed to be a very strong aura of warmth and security in it. It just seemed rather bright. There was a window at the side of the room, but it didn't seem as if all that much light was coming from it. The light seemed to be coming from all over the room itself.  
  
So where am I? he thought.  
  
He tried to go over to the window and peer out, but it was too high for him reach it, and it was barred. The glass seemed opaque anyway, and let little light in anyway, impossible to see precisely what was outside.  
  
He looked at the door. It wasn't barred, so he knew he definitely was not in a jail cell. There was a lock on it though.  
  
He didn't have a chance to try opening it though. It opened, and a young woman walked in. She was dressed in a blue and white dress, which was more tailored to withstand a variety of different weather. Overall she seemed to be very graceful, majestic, ethereal. At first her face had an expression of concern but once she saw Titto awake and alright she smiled gently. Her face had a saintly, almost mysterious glow. Her hair was dark brown, long. Her bright green eyes exuded benevolence, though they were opposite in nature to the large, innocent eyes of Titto's. The woman's eyes looked like they had seen horrors unimaginable but the heart behind them had endured to look upon others, be it sinner or saint, with love and pity.  
  
She was Nortis. No, wait - not Nortis. The Nortis didn't dress like that. So who?  
  
"So you're awake," said the young woman in a low but caring voice. "Are you sure you don't need more rest, little one? Thanks be to Granas I found you alive! You seemed almost dead when I found you..."  
  
Granas, thought Titto. That doesn't sound like anything the Nortis would ever mention. What would it be? Titto still looked worried, but he bowed his head in respect. "Thanks very much for saving me. The soup was very delicious. I feel much better thank you."  
  
The woman sighed with relief and she smiled again. "Are you sure you don't need to rest more? You're welcome to stay awhile longer if you need to."  
  
"No I'm fine," said Titto, jumping up and down to demonstrate that he was full of energy again, his blues eyes large and wide - still dressed in the large clothes with the sleeves much too long. He looked awkward to say the least, like a baby bird not yet ready to fly yet still trying to.  
  
The woman again smiled gently.  
  
Titto stopped jumping and spoke. "Excuse me ma'am, but where is this? Who are you?"  
  
"My name is Sienna. I am a Sister of Granas. I'm a missionary from Silesia and we are in the guest house in one of the few modest missions here in Arcada. I wish we could be with the others in the building across the street, but is full and busy enough as it is."  
  
Mission?, wondered Titto. "Pleased to meet you Sienna. My name is Titto."  
  
"Pleased to meet you too Titto." Sienna paused and sadness seeped into her expression. "Do you have parents, relatives, or guardians to go back to? Are you an orphan?"  
  
Titto turned away uncomfortably. "Umm...."  
  
"I see," said Sienna. "Probably the Nortis, no doubt. Misguided souls... You are welcome to stay as long as you like then. May the light of Granas light your path."  
  
"Granas," said Titto, wondering. He looked at Sienna again with wide, almost spaced-out eyes, his head slightly tilted to one side and his hands clasped together anxiously. "Please forgive my ignorance, ma'am, but what is this Granas?"  
  
"Granas.... He is the one who fought against the dark one, Valmar. Legend had it that the outcome of the battle was sort of a stalemate, but I refuse to believe it. Many believed, including myself, that Granas was a being of good to be worshipped and that good deeds should be performed in his name." She chuckled uneasily. "I suppose the concept of religion has escaped the minds of the Nortis. And with that, lost faith, charity, love...."  
  
Titto's eyes looked into Sienna's, but Sienna lost eye contact and became slightly distracted and uncomfortable. Sienna sighed and looked at Titto again, who was still silent and wide-eyed. You're a very wonderful person, Titto's eyes seemed to be saying to her, yet you regret something. Why in the world would that be?  
  
Sienna sighed again and she tried looking directly into Titto's eyes again with difficulty. "I suppose that my faith has not been unwavering. I became a missionary because I was attracted to the idea of helping those in need, not expecting payment in return. I simply wished to help those in need simply for the sake of helping those in need."  
  
"And so you set out doing what you wanted in life, and something very wonderful," said Titto.  
  
"I suppose.... Although...."  
  
"Although...??? ....Hm?"  
  
"My faith has not always been steadfast. Even up to now. I have doubted that Granas had survived that battle of legend - doubted even that the battle occurred, or that even Granas ever lived. But I was only concerned with the fact that we missionaries of the church of Granas were doing good, spreading our love and support to others who might need it. I learned much magic of healing and used it to give relief to many. The pope was impressed by my deeds and offered to promote me to be a high priestess, and I was encouraged to learn to spread the words and deeds of the church of Granas."  
  
Sienna sat down on the edge of a nearby chair and continued. "But I couldn't accept. I was scared. So the pope promoted another, one of my close friends. She was one with whom I had placed a lot of trust in, who used to be an inspiration to all of us sisters of Granas - she instead was promoted to be high priestess. I heard rumors that she became obsessed with the power that had been given to her, slowly developing a reputation as a cold-blooded inquisitor and mass-murderer. That made me all the more scared. Not to say that I'm not a sinner, either - I still very much am. And I couldn't put myself in a position of being self-righteous. I couldn't accept to become an authority in the church of Granas when I was still unsure and doubtful of some of its teachings. I preferred the life of the missionary as opposed to life in the cathedral." Sienna sighed. "Titto, those clothes i gave you, the ones you have on right now-"  
  
Titto looked at the sleeves again.  
  
"Those are made of the high priestess' robes that I was given. The pope let me keep them to encourage me to change my mind, that I would try to be high priestess, someday at least. I was tempted by his offer and tried them on - once only. But my alterations on it are my confirmation that they mean nothing to me. At least they would serve better as pajamas to you." She chuckled. "What am I doing, rambling on and on to my guest? You could use some rest, you know."  
  
"No, no. That's fine. I'd like to hear more of your stories."  
  
Sienna smiled. "Alright. I suppose that would be fine."  
  
Sienna told Titto stories of life as a missionary, which was sometimes very difficult, sometimes very sad, but rewarding to her. She told Titto of the ancient war that happened between Granas and Valmar. She told Titto of the orphans like Titto that she had met, taken in, and treated like her children. There was such a bright and comforting, almost holy glow that seemed to be coming from Sienna, and it seemed to make the room much much brighter than it already seemed. It seemed unreal, and Titto felt relaxed, more than he had been in a long time.  
  
Titto asked, "So there are more like me here?"  
  
"Yes. Would you like to meet them? They're in the barracks in the other side of the street. It's a bit busy there right now."  
  
Titto yawned.  
  
"You should get some rest, little one," said Sienna.  
  
Titto nodded and went back to bed. Sienna tucked him in and smiled. I'll be back. Feel free to come to the barracks, especially if you need help or if you're hungry. I'll leave the door locked so you won't be disturbed. Here's a key." Sienna handed a Titto a large metal key. Titto held out his hand and felt it was rather heavy, as it was more than just a key. He felt very drowsy all of a sudden and lost the energy to even place the key at the tray beside his bed. It was still in his hand when he fell asleep and Sienna quietly walked out of the room. She locked the door with another key that she had with her.  
  
Hours had passed. Titto heard a loud WHOOSH!!!! and his eyes immediately opened.  
  
Daylight. But where was he? Not in the guest room of the mission. In the alley the other night... Faintly he could hear the talking of other people doing their daytime business activities.  
  
Was it all a dream? Sienna? Where was she?  
  
Titto felt something large and heavy in his hand.  
  
The metal key. And he was still dressed in the highly modified priestess' robes.  
  
What happened... ?  
  
Bewildered, Titto set out to the street.....  
  
In the upcoming chapter:  
  
introduce Evann and Pike at a Nortis marketplace! and the miniquest that they go on.  
  
introduce Carmyne and Brandol, and Diene in a Nortis army regiment stationed at a beach and their side of confronting the Arcadians. 


End file.
